The screaming began before the first note was struck, drowning out the screams from the rides.

Yes, Hanson was in town at the Western Fair and several hundred Londoners and some from as far away as Hearst in Northern Ontario.

Brothers Isaac (guitar, piano, vocals), Taylor (keyboards, piano, guitar, drums, vocals), and Zac Hanson (drums, piano, guitar, vocals) are best known for the 1996 hit song MMMBop from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations.

They opened with Fired Up, sending the women who were tweenies in the mid 90s when the band had their biggest hit, into a frenzy, followed by I’ve Got Soul and Where’s the Love.

It was like a never-ending roller-coaster ride listening to the screams from fans, who danced and swayed and sang along with every song.

Hanson launched into This Time Around followed by You Can’t Stop Us and then suddenly stopped, but returned for a little acoustic number, Strong Enough To Break, Zac on the drum box, Taylor and Issac on guitars.

Then they launched into I’ll Be With You, with Taylor on the piano and singing before Juliet, off their new CD Anthem.

The music stage, situated in the southeast corner of the fair was angled to face the rides and midway so all could enjoy.

It was the first day of the fair and the crowd continued to build through the night, enjoying the summer-like weather and sunshine, although it began to cool considerably when the sun went down.

Interestingly, the fair’s new layout, helped by the demolition of several buildings, including the IMAX theatre, made it feel so much more comfortable than the crowded lanes of years past, but no less fun.

Wheelchair-bound Venessa Lavigne, 27, who suffers from spina bifida, travelled 12 hours from Hearst to see the band whose posters have filled her bedroom since she was 10.

She was among a handful of people who were invited to meet the band backstage and had each of them sign her sweater.

“I will always remember this. I am so happy,” she said.

Zac, her favorite, gave her a hug.

“It’s so cool to be the focus of all that adoration, you just hold it gently in your heart and hope to do it justice on stage,” Zac said in an interview before the show.

The alternative rock band Hue, originally from London but now based in Toronto, opened the show with a high-energy set, most of the songs from their new CD Starting Fires.

Clearly, the crowd was there for Hanson, but they soon warmed to the young musicians, including Danny Patton, on guitar and lead vocals, his sister Jessica Patton on keyboards and percussion, Darcy Finck on guitar, Andy Schmidt on drums and Andrew Jones on bass. Jones is the only member not from London.

They opened with the album’s title song, Starting Fires, followed by Loving Anyone and then launched into You Will Be, the cheers growing louder as the songs continued.

If they didn’t know Hue before they came, they do now.

The band was a delight, the infectious melodies and beat willing people to move and dance, the cheers building, growing louder after each song.

They closed with The Bump, a thundering number that compelled the audience to sing along and dance.

This is a band to watch, their stage energy, the fun they have, puts a smile on your face and energy in your feet to move.

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